Are Governance Modes Alike? An Analysis Based on Bureaucratic Relationships and Skills

ABSTRACT

This paper explores how diverse governance modes can be and how they require different bureaucratic capabilities. We test two main hypotheses: different policy sectors require particular governance modes, and different governance modes operate with distinct bureaucratic skills. The inquiry uses a survey applied to over three thousand civil servants of the Brazilian government that covered these two dimensions of the bureaucracy’s performance: relationships and skills. The paper’s findings confirmed both hypotheses. The analysis showed that infrastructure and productive development sectors relate more with the private sector; security and citizenship with state governments; and social/environmental sectors with municipalities in a decentralized context. Regarding bureaucratic skills, they vary according to the governance modes, highlighting the core of government as the most qualified sector. In conclusion, the analysis highlights that particular institutional arrangement, policy nature, and sector dynamics must be taken for granted to understand how modes of governance are built and operated.

KEYWORDS:

• Governance
• public policy
• state capacity
• bureaucracy
• Brazil

Acknowledgement

We thank our UN Online Volunteer Andrew Goodell for proofreading the translation of this document, and Isabella Goellner for assisting us in the research.

Notes

1. The policy sector’s classification stems from the official aggregation of the 2016–2019 Pluriannual Plan, established by the federal law 13.249 of January 14, 2016. The paper’s Appendix details the policy sectors and their respective ministries.

2. The Appendix presents a descriptive analysis of the indexes.

3. Both difference among sectors are statistically significant: state level (F = 7.11, p-value <.001) and local government (F = 11.99, p-value <.001).

4. International organizations (F = 7.8, p-value <.001) and universities and research institutes (F = 27.2, p-value <.001).